Rotary valve



DMn 1o, 1946. c. w. HALL 2,412,261

ROTARY VALVE Filed March ZDV .1.945

wilma i l E 5 s IN1/mm1@ CHAR/.fs I4( HALL.

vPatented Dec. 10, 1946 ROTARY VALVE i Charles W. Hall, Denver, Colo., assignor to y Malcolm S. Losey, Denver, Colo.

Application March 20, 1945, Serial No. 583,804

5 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a rotary valve for internal combustion engines, and has for its Drincipal object the provision of a valve of this character through which cooling air can be circulated for maintaining the valve at the proper operating temperature. l

Another object of the invention isto provide a sealing device for a valve of this character which Will rotate with the valve so as to prevent the wearing of grooves in the valve surface and to properly lubricate the same.

Another object is to 'so construct the valve that it will accommodate thermal expansion without affecting the running and sealing qualities of the valve. Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention. which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the head of. a typical combustion engine cylinder, illustrating one form oi' the improved valve in place thereon:

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the valve of 3 Fig. 1, taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through an alternate form of the valve, embodying the same basic principles;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the-form of Fig. 3, taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 3: and

Fig. 6 is a detail view partially in section, illustratingA the improved valve provided with a sealing skirt.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a typical engine cylinder block is indicated at I provided with the usual water jacket space II. 'Ihe block I0 is closed by means of a cylinder cap I2, which may also be provided with water jacket space I3. Ihe block IIJ is provided with any desired number of operating cylinders, one of which is indicated at I4, having a cylinder head I 5.

A cylindrical valve bore is formed in the block I0 above the'cylinder head I5 to receive a cupshaped rotary valve I6. A circular valve plate I1 rests upon the edge of the open extremity ofthe valve I6, and is provided with peripheral gear teeth I8 which mesh with a drive pinion I9. 'Ihe drive pinion I9 is mounted on a valve shaft 20 by means of which rotation is imparted to the valve I6.

The valve I6 contains an exhaust tube 2I ex.- tending concentrically through the plate II from an eccentric position through the bottom of the valve I6. The lower extremity of the tube 2| is positioned to register with a cylinder port 22 communicating with the cylinderl I4 once in' each revolution of the valve I6.

The valve I6 is also provided with an intake. tube 23 extending from an eccentric 'position through the plate '|1. The tube 23 is so positionedA that it will also align with the cylinder port 22 once in each revolution.

The upper'extremity of the tube 23 simultaneously aligns-with an intake passage 24 through the cap 12v/hen it is in alignment` with the port 22. The exhaust tube 2| is in constant communication with an exhaust passage 25 through the cap I2. v Y

It can be readily seengthat the tube 23 will align with' the cylinder port.V lduring the intake cycle of the cylinder I4, and "that the bottom'of the valve I6 will close the port 22 during the compression and explosion cycles. The exhausttube 2|- will then align withv the port 22 to exhaust the gases through the passage 25 Vduring the exhaust cycle.

It has been found that in the usual rotary valve 0 the incoming gases are so expanded by pre-heating in passing through the hot rotary valve that the ei'liciency ofthe motor is diminished. In this invention, however, means are provided for cooling the rotary valve. This is accomplished by placing a plurality of oppositely positioned air ports 26 in the side or 'skirt of the valve. These ports align with an air intake passage 21'and an air discharge passage 28 positioned in the opposite sides of the block I0. This allows cooling air to be continually forced through the valve during its operation to remove the heat from the valve and from the gas tubes 2I and 23. Acoolinsr liquid could be substituted for the coolingl air if desired. Two sealing rings 29 completely surround the valve I6 above and below the air ports 21 and 28 to seal off air leakagearound the valve. The plate I1 is provided with a thrust bearing 30 in its upper surface for absorbing the upthrust of the valve.

Alternate form In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 an alternate form of the invention embodying the same principles of operation is illustrated. In this form a hollow-cupthe bottom thereof. f outlet opening 43. The opening 43 .communithe bottom vof the valve. formed with peripheral gear teeth 5| which mesh Vwith the teeth of the "pinion 41 so that the ring ,3 e shaped rotary valve 3| is mounted in a cylindrical vvalve vhousing 32.

municates from aneccentric position in the bottom of the valve housing with any desired operating cylinder of an internal combustionengine. 1

The valve 3| is provided with a curved ex- .haust .tube 34 and a straight intake Vtube 35,

Acylinder passage 33 cornbothof which communicate through the bottom e of the valve r3| eccentrically of the vaxis thereof' `so asto align ywith the cylinder passage 33 at predetermined times.

'I'he upper extremity Yof the intake. passage 35 ysimultaneously aligns with an intake passage 36 formed in a valve-head 31 covering the valve 3|. The exhaust tube 34 exitsy through the wall of the valve V3| to align with an exhaust passage 38 simultaneously with its alignment with Ythe cylinder `passage 33. `The valve is rotated from a valve shaft 39 which is :splined concentrically vinto the bottom of the valve 3|, as shown at 40.

.It can be seenthat, if the valve 3| is rotated at one-half crank-shaft speed, it will connect the cylinder passage y33 with the intake passage 3B during the intake-cycle,thence close the cylinder passage 33 for the compression and explosion cycles. 33 through the tube 34 with the exhaust 38.

It Will then connect the cylinder passage Provision is made for aircooling this valve by placing an air passage 4| in. the head 31, which t terminates in a nozzle 42 extending downwardly into the valve 3| to direct incoming air toward The air exits through air .slightly spaced away as it approaches the closed extremity. Y 'I'he lowerportion ofthe skirt is split as shown -at y54, to allowthis lower .extremity `to .ilexrinlwardly-when the valve is forced .within its seat. The natural tendency of `the skirt is to expand,

`and this maintains a tight 4sealing contact with `the walls of the valve cavity so as to seal any port openings therein.

'I'he form of Fig'. V3 .may be provided with a vsealing plate 56 across the top havinga central opening for alignment with the nozzle 42 Vand with a kside opening through which the intake tube passes. It is preferred to form the plate 56 with a slightly conical top surface as illustrated. This conical surface fits against a conical depression in the lower surface of the valve Yhead 31 to form a perfect, self-centering seal vin the latter.

cates with a circumferentialV air channel 44:

which ysurrounds the valve 3|, there being Vair openings 45 through the wall of the valve communicating with the channel.

' It can be readily seen that cooling air can be "forced into the valve through the channel 4|. illling the 'hollow interior'thereof, and that the heated air will flow through the openings 45 into the channel 44 and thence exit through the'air l outlet kopening l43.

Thisiform is provided Vwith a rotary oiling ring gear 46 having vgear teeth on its peripheral `edge, meshing with a drive pinion 41 on the valve shaft 39. The gear 451s provided with oil discharge openings which spread lubricant over the bottom face of the valve. Thering gear is journalled on -a stud 48 having oil passages to whichv oil is fed from an oil channel 49. The .block is so arranged that the oil openigns 55 do not open to the oil channels in' the stud48 during the intake stroke of the motor so as to prevent A. oil from being drawn in by i vacuum. Y

This .form is also provided "with a rotary sealing ring 5|) between the cylinder passage .33 and The sealing "ring is will :constantly rotate during operation of the valve, so as to spread lubricant and to prevent cutting rings in the bottom of the valve. The oiling block 46 .and the ring 5|r may be forced Vagainst .the bottom surface -of the valve by any desired resilient means.

In Fig. v6,V an alternate method of sealing the external surface of a rotary valve to its periphb `eral gas and air ports vis illustrated. In this .form a rotary valve 52 of the open top, cup-shaped form is surrounded by a sealing skirt 53. The

skirt :is 'snugly and permanently shrunk onto and around the open lextremity of the valve anddepends toward the closed extremity thereof but is Y so'that said vring will rotate lwith said While a specic form of the yimprovement has been described andillustratedherein, it is desired to be understood that thesamemay he varied, within .the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

v`Having thus .described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary valve of thehollow cylindrical Y type, 'means for lubricating one endrof said valve comprising: a rotary button; gear teeth around mounted on said valve in mesh with said. teeth so that said ring will rotate with said valve in a direction opposite thereto. Y

3. In a' rotary valveof the hollow cylindrical type, means for lubricating one end of said valve comprising: a rotary button; gear teeth 'around vsaid button; a toothed pinion axially mounted on saidvalve in mesh with said teeth so that said button will rotate simultaneously'with said valve;

oilpassages in said button; "means for` supplying oil to saidpassagesi a cylinder port opening to one extremity\cf said valve; means for sealing said port ton said valve; a rotary ring around said l port; teeth surrounding said ring; a pinion axially mounted on said valve in mesh with said teeth valve in a direction opposite thereto.

4. In a rotary valve of the hollow cylindrical type, means for lubricating one end of said valve comprising: a rotary button; gear teeth around ysaid button; a toothed pinion axially mounted on said valve in `mesh with said teeth sp that said button will rotate simultaneously with said valve; oil passagesin said button; means for supplying oil to said passages; a cylinder port opening to one extremity of said valve; means for sealing said port to said valve; a rotary ring around saidV i port; teeth surrounding said ring; a pinion axially mounted on said valve in mesh'with said teeth so that said ring will rotate with sa'id valve in a.

direction opposite thereto; resilientg'means for forcing said button Vand said ring against said v valve.

5. A rotary valve comprising: amhollow cupshaped valve memberV rotatably mounted in a chamber of corresponding shape; a cylinder port communicating with one extremity of said valve chamber eccentrically of the axis thereof; a rst straight tubular passage communicating through the bottom of said valve at a point to periodicallyr align with said cylinder porty and extendin through said valve parallel to the axis thereof; a second tubular passage communicating through the bottom of said valve at a point to periodically align with said cylinder pori'. and extending through the cylindrical aide wall of said valve;

a head enclosing said valve, said head having 'an opening inthe path of rotation of said iirst tubular passage, there being a second opening in the cylindrical side of said chamber in the path of rotation o! said second tubular passage; an air discharge nozzle discharging axially into the open top of said valve; and air discharge openings through the cylindrical wall ot said valve and' its chamber to allow air to be circulated through the` l0 former.

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